Hi laila - It does make more than you'll need for just garnishing the soup, so you might want to stick to the lower end of the scale with 3 pounds. It was a popular salad around the office though, so I don't think you'll be upset that you have extras. On her website, the author suggests other uses for it too: "serve it on grilled or toasted bread with a little bit of goat cheese, toss with greens and more vinaigrette, fold into an omelette, stir it into cooked quinoa, millet, farro, or wild rice, or serve on its own with a poached egg."

Another thing to keep in mind, is that you can always send a direct message to the author of a recipe to ask for clarification by clicking the envelope button on their profile page (http://food52.com/users...).